Sunday, November 18, 2012

I’m writing from the Heartland of
America, Laurie and I having made a “reverse Snowbird” journey from the warmth
of California to the cold and getting colder plains of Iowa.

For those who follow politics,
Iowa is a fascinating place due to its distinction of having the first
presidential “caucus” in America where the parties choose their candidates.
Also, Iowa is important due to it being a “swing state,” meaning the
presidential vote is up for grabs, unlike some states that are safely in the
camp of either the Democrat Party or Republican Party, where no amount of
campaigning will change things.

Five years ago Laurie and I went
to the Iowa State Fair with our friends Wall and Jan Posey (Walt is also a
Rolling Stone Ministries board member) and noticed a small group of about ten
or fifteen people crowding around a slender man who was shaking hands with the
crowd. We recognized the man, and walked right up and took a picture. It was
Senator Barack Obama, campaigning for the Democrat Party nomination for
President of the United States. How things have changed in five years!

It is ironic that living nearly
my entire life in California, the most populous state in the United States, it
is rare to have presidential candidates visit. Yet here in Iowa, with 1/12 the
population of California, all the serious candidates spend time here,
crisscrossing the state in efforts to get momentum for their presidential
campaigns.

Now that the elections are over
(didn’t it seem like the presidential race went on forever?) some people are
elated, others depressed. Those who embrace biblical values are rightly
concerned about the erosion of our religious liberties, and the abandonment of
biblical morality in America. Whether it is the battle for marriage, the fight
to protect the unborn, or the attempts by a pervasive secularism to intimidate
churches from speaking out on the issues, the spiritual war rages on. Some of
us might think, “if only _____ (fill in the blank) had won, America would be a
better place.” Perhaps. But regardless of who occupies the White House, who
controls Congress, and who controls our state legislatures, government is not
the means to usher in the millennium. And we are to pray for those in positions
of authority, regardless of party affiliation. The Apostle Paul, writing to
Christians in Rome at a time when the Emperor, Nero, was one of the cruelest,
most deranged leaders of antiquity, told the Romans “Let every person be in
subjection to the governing authorities. [Not “just when you like them or agree
with them”] For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist
are established by God” (Romans 13:1).

Putting things in perspective,
for Christians, our ultimate purpose is not to elect the “right” candidates,
although some candidates may, indeed, be vastly superior to others, and are
worthy of our support. Our battle is for the hearts and minds of people. It is
generally easier to reach people’s hearts when the government is sympathetic to
maintaining Christian values in America and not an impediment. But what
happens, as seems to now be true here in the United States, when there is a
growing hostility toward Christianity influencing the direction of the country?

If we take a lesson from history,
the Early Church grew despite the hostility and persecution visited upon them
by Emperor Nero and his successors. In fact, as early Christian apologist
Tertullian said, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” The
Church has historically grown stronger in the face of adversity, as is now true
in many parts of the world (a former student of mine was killed two weeks ago
in Kenya when Muslim terrorists lobbed grenades into his church). Whether
physical persecution or antagonism by the government, Jesus said, “The gates of
Hades shall not overpower [the Church]” (Matthew 16:19).

By analogy, when I discuss the
issue of abortion, I would like laws protecting the unborn, and think the Roe v. Wade decision (40 years and
nearly 60 million babies ago) that permitted abortion on demand should be
overturned. I’ve debated the Roe case
on the radio and at law schools. However, the ultimate solution is not making
elective abortions illegal, although I would like to see that happen. No. The
ultimate solution is to change the hearts and minds of people about the unborn.
If there were abortion clinics on every corner of every town, but people in
their hearts believed abortion was wrong and sought out alternatives, abortions
would virtually cease. Yet if abortion was outlawed, but people believed that
abortion was a necessary solution to an unwanted pregnancy, women would find a
way to obtain illegal abortions. The battle is ultimately for hearts and minds,
with the law and government leaders playing a minor role. Therefore, regardless
of who is in office, the work continues for people of faith to persuade others
that the ultimate answer to the problems we face starts with a relationship
with Jesus Christ. Once the heart changes, behavioral change can happen. There
are no political solutions to spiritual problems.

To summarize, our task is to see
life through God’s perspective (Psalm 36:9), put our trust in Jesus of Nazareth
Who claimed to be the Way, Truth and Life (John 14:6) and Who said He was
coming again to Earth (John 14:2). We are in a spiritual battle (Ephesians
6:12) that cannot be fought successfully with carnal weapons such as politics
or the law. We cannot legislate that people follow Jesus. Instead, we are to
love people and care enough for them that we make sure they know that Jesus
died for their sins, and that He invites them to believe in Him so that they
might have eternal life (John 3:16).

The only thing certain about what
will happen in the next four years is that in four more years it will be 2016,
and time for a new president. Whether you supported Governor Romney, President
Obama, or someone else in the 2012 presidential election, our purpose for being
here has not changed. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “Man’s chief
end is to love God and to enjoy Him forever.” We are able to fulfill our
purpose in life irrespective of who the leaders of our country are. If want to
love and enjoy God, we show our love by believing His words, and living a life
that reflects that we are His children. The calling of the Christian does not
exclude politics, but it transcends politics. Therefore, in light of the recent
elections, consider the perspective of the Apostle Paul to Christians in
Corinth:

John on the Radio

About Me

John is an author, attorney, international speaker, and former law school professor. He is also an award-winning radio personality, including hosting or co-hosting two nationally-syndicated programs ("John Stewart Live" and "The Bible Answerman"). He is co-founder of Rolling Stone Ministries, an international speaking and teaching ministry. John and his wife Laurie live in Iowa.